Elizabeth City, N.C. (Feb. 17, 2024)- The Virginia State University men's basketball team dropped back to .500 (13-13, 7-7) after dropping a 79-76 contest at Elizabeth City State (9-17, 9-6). 

The Trojans scored eight of the first 13 points in the first four minutes. Neither team could get control as they played back and forth for the next eight minutes, but saw VSU down two, 18-16 after a Tremere Brown jumper. VSU would eventually tie the game at 29 with 3:34 left in the half after Jonathan Norfleet completed a three-point play. That three-point play as the start of a 12-4 run to end the half that let VSU go up 38-33 that ended with a Kendall Bynum jumper at the buzzer. 

ECSU would come back just two minutes into the second half to tie the game. The teams would trade baskets until the Trojans went on a 9-0 run to make the score 53-48 at the 10:48 mark. Two minutes later the Vikings would tie the game at 55 and VSU would never regain the lead from that point on. The score would be tied twice at 61 with 5:22 left and 66 with 4:03 left but ECSU would never relinquish the advantage they had. 

Four different players scored in double figures with Norfleet leading the way at 19. The team returns home for the final two games before the CIAA tournament starting on Wednesday February 21st with Bowie State at 7:30 pm.